When Cal-ITP Benefits launched as a pilot in 2021, the app offered a single enrollment pathway for seniors age 65 and older. In the fall of 2024, we added enrollment for Medicare cardholders. Together, these two rider groups account for 69% of total enrollments in Cal-ITP Benefits thus far in 2025. This high percentage isn't a surprise, as the Federal Transit Administration lists these two groups as those entitled to reduced fares as a condition of 5307 funding. The third discount group identified by the FTA, and one that isn't yet covered by Cal-ITP Benefits, is people with disabilities.
We've long recognized that Cal-ITP Benefits needs to offer enrollment for people with disabilities to function as a fully compliant and equitable discount fare program for agencies offering contactless payment for fare collection. This discount group, however, is also the most complex and varied when it comes to establishing eligibility criteria to qualify riders for transit benefits. That's why we kicked off research this month to develop a deep understanding of current practices to qualify people with disabilities for transit benefits. As we've done with seniors and Medicare cardholders, the foundation for supporting enrollments for people with disabilities begins with a standard eligibility policy shared by all agencies using Cal-ITP Benefits. This research initiative will do just that.
Establishing an eligibility standard allows us to take two important next steps.
- First, as a near term solution to support people with disabilities, we can add this enrollment pathway as an option for in-person enrollment.
- Secondly, it helps us identify new government data sources to confirm eligibility that will, in turn, expand and enhance digital enrollment in the rider-facing application over time.
While this research prioritizes people with disabilities, we are also focused on defining eligibility standards for youth, U.S. Veterans, and people with low income. In the same way we've evolved the app since its launch, we will continue to expand enrollment options iteratively using these standard eligibility policies as a base.
We will conduct interviews with staff at transit providers of all sizes in October and November to gain a deeper understanding of the current landscape of transit discount programs in California. Additionally, we will interview individuals with disabilities to understand their challenges applying for benefits generally. Finally, we will summarize our research by the end of the year and establish standard eligibility policies.
We expect to deploy the eligibility policies resulting from this research in Cal-ITP Benefits in the first half of 2026.
If you'd like to participate in this research by sharing challenges and insights related to your fare discount program, please contact Leela Singh at leela.singh@dot.ca.gov.
